The high-profile court battle between OpenAI and Elon Musk is accelerating towards a swift trial, with both parties agreeing to a speedy resolution. The case centres on OpenAI's shift to a for-profit business model, marking a significant development in the ongoing dispute between the tech mogul and the artificial intelligence pioneer.
Musk was one of the co-founders of OpenAI but later departed the company. Since leaving, he has been very vocal and critical of OpenAI, particularly in how it has worked with Microsoft. Musk has started his own AI company, xAI, as well.
Both sides have also filed a notice to expedite the trial, reflecting a shared interest in resolving the legal dispute. According to filings in court, they scheduled a faster pace for trial, with a possible trial date this fall.
At the heart of the legal dispute is Musk's assertion that OpenAI has moved away from its intended mission of being a nonprofit organization, and adopted a for-profit status. Elon Musk argues this transition represents a breach of his earlier agreement with the founders of OpenAI.
Musk contends that OpenAI is no longer keeping to its original mission of 'creating AI for the benefit of humanity' and is now in it for the money. He lays out his accusations that the deal struck with Microsoft ultimately led to a closed-source company instead of the originally intended open-source model. He argues that OpenAI is functionally acting as a 'subsidiary' of Microsoft, which increases his worry.
The litigation is occurring in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Although the case is being expedited, the ruling on whether to allow the case to continue as a jury trial or as a judge-only trial has been deferred. The Court has denied Musk's request to delay the for-profit movement of OpenAI.
This suit is reflective of the mounting strains related to the advancement and commercialization of artificial intelligence. The ruling in this case could potentially impact the future of the development of AI and the tension between for-profit and not-for-profit business models in technology.